


Echo in Neglect

by Missalwaysirritated



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Neglect, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Protective Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, doing this instead of calc, send psychological help, we do be projecting tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missalwaysirritated/pseuds/Missalwaysirritated
Summary: Tony Stark grows up neglected to put it lightly, his entire life is spent in the shadow of rejection from his parents. But its not all bad. He grows up with the love and support of other adult figures in his life that help make the world a little bit less lonely for the young boy.
Relationships: Ana Jarvis & Tony Stark, Edwin Jarvis & Tony Stark, Peggy Carter & Tony Stark
Kudos: 19





	Echo in Neglect

no direction, dressed in distress 

Joyous shrieks rang across the kitchen. Blue water was kicked into the air and streaked every nearby surface with vibrant color that currently overflowed the sink. Three year old Tony sat on the ledge of the sink, or rather was submerged in the blue as he splashed and played with the colorful water.  
Chuckling by the stove, stood Peggy, soaked to the bone in blue water as she was not spared by Tonys hurricane. without paying mind to the chaos he had created, Tony continued to to splash and play in the sink till aunt peggy deemed the mess catastrophic enough and carried tony out of the sink and towards the guest room to change. Tony whined at the loss of the water as he slipped a clean shirt over his head because he was a big boy he could dress himself.  
“Cmon dear lets go down for breakfast”, said Peggy as she stood to head to the stairs.  
“PANCAKES” screamed Tony as he sprinted out the room and down the stairs ignoring Aunt Peggy’s warnings.  
He soon made his way back to the kitchen and began to climb the tall stool at the end of the island. If he was old enough to change he was old enough to sit himself thank you very much.  
After a minute or so of struggling, Tony managed to haul himself onto the stool just as Aunt Peggy placed a plate of blue pancakes in front of him.  
“Thank you Aunt Peggy”, he exclaimed as he began to dig into his plate making almost a bigger mess that was made with the water.  
“Youre very welcome baby”, she said with an amused smile plastered on her face.  
“Im not a baby Im a big boy!” tried to say Tony, food still in his mouth.  
Peggy chuckled “big boys dont talk while chewing”, she reminded the toddler as she turned to clean up the mess left around the sink.  
Just as Tony was done with his blue pancakes and carried his plate to the sink, Peggy was done cleaning the kitchen.  
“How about we watch a movie”, she asked the small child.  
“Can we watch the wizard of oz again”, asked Tony with a grin making its was onto his face.  
Peggy gasped, “oh but the witch is so scary darling”  
“its okay!” said Tony taking her hand and guiding her towards the tv room, “Ill protect you from the witch! We can splash her with blue water!”  
Peggy laughed as she inserted the disk of the movie and turned to see Tony already curled around a blanket, tapping the expectant spot besides him.  
She was quick to sit down and pull the small boy close, snuggling against his bouncy curls.  
She couldn’t help but smile in adoration for the boy, pleased that she could steal him form his cold and aloof household for a weekend.  
The movie began playing as Peggy let out a satisfied breath at holding her boy close.  
“Hey aunt Peggy, can I tell you a secret?” he loudly whispers.  
“Of course baby what is it”  
“I love you more than I love mom”, says the young boy with a smile stretching his lips.  
“Oh but Tony she loves you very much”, replies Peggy as she shifts to look at him.  
“I dont care,” he says as he snuggles closely, “I love you the most.”  
Peggy wraps her arms around Tony and whispers “I love you the most baby”.  
Tony can still close his eyes and picture the sense of comfort from the memory. It being one of the only ones he still retained of Aunt Peggy. Six months later Peggy passed away and Tony spent the day home, crying, as his parents left him to attend her funeral.

suppressed by excess of regret

The first time it happened he was four years old. He was excited, his birthday was coming up soon and today was the day Jarvis and his wife, Ana, would take him to the candy store.  
Upon entry, young Tony was absolutely astounded, rows of colorful and different types of candy lined the walls. There were stacks of chocolate and licorice and marshmallows and Tony was in heaven. He let go of the hand he was holding in order to race towards the candy.  
“Tony make sure not to break anything. You can choose some candies to buy but be careful”, said Jarvis in a stern tone, already familiar with the child’s impulsivity.  
“Okay Jarvis!” exclaimed the boy as he stared in awe at the assortment of jelly beans.  
The selection of candy went without a hitch. Save the indecisiveness and ultimate purchase of multiple types due to said indecisiveness.  
Jarvis was in the process of paying when a loud crash was heard in the store.  
Mist a pile of knocked over candy bars stood four year old Tony looking absolutely mortified.  
“im-im sorry i- i just- i wanted to grab one but i couldn’t reach the top so- so they fell im sorry”, cried the small boy, tears forming in his big doe eyes.  
With a kind smile, Ana bends down and reassures the now hyperventilating kid “its okay tony it was an accident” she says calmly, “we’ll just wait outside okay?”  
Tony nodded, relieved at the lack of screams he expected and took Anas hand to head outside.  
Once the cool air hit his face Tony began to calm down and eventually forgot about the incident as he began to cartwheel by the bench Ana was sitting at.  
Giggling at the spinning world, Tony looked around the surrounding stores and cars till his gaze landed on a man staring at him from across the street.  
A chill ran down his spine as he held eye contact with the tall, slender man in a brown letter jacket and worn jeans.  
Dread set into his stomach as he ran back to the bench Ana was at  
Oblivious to the strange figure, Ana distracted the small boy by talking about the candy and soon the man was forgotten.  
Tony resumed his cart wheels proud at how good he was getting at them and excited to show Ana. He continued to wheel away from the small bench untill he came to a screeching halt and came face to face with the strange man from before.  
Immediately, the man reached down to take the four year old by the arm. His painful grip sending the small boy into shock as he began to drag him away.  
“Stop. Thats my kid”.  
Tony turned his head and saw Ana now standing a foot away from him and the man.  
“Dont you want me to take him? seams like more trouble than he’s worth”, replied the man in a scratchy and uninterested voice.  
Ana then reached down to yank Tony from the iron grip the man currently had on him and enveloped the shaking boy into her arms.  
“Of course not hes my boy” said Ana with a firm nod now that the kid was securely tucked into her embrace.  
The man then scoffed “whatever you say” he retorted as he turned to walk away and disappear around the corner of the street.  
Once gone, Ana pulled the boy from her arms to check for any wounds, repeatedly asking if Tony was okay. But Tony was silent staring at the spot the man disappeared behind.  
That was his first encounter with kidnapping, being a Stark kid and all. That was the first and only time Ana came to save him from it. In less than a year she would be dead from cancer. and Tony would be that much more alone in the world 

Expected infection hard to digest 

Tony dashes into the kitchen almost tripping over his own two feet as he comes to a screeching halt inches from the table.  
“why hello young sir, to what do i owe the pleasure of such a late visit”  
five year old Tony giggles as he clumsily slips onto the chair  
“Do you need any help Jarvis?” squeeks Tony with a flashing smile only little kids can manage.  
“Im starting preparations for tomorrows dinner surely you have a better way to pass time”, replies Jarvis despite already standing up to collect materials for Tony to help.  
“nah uh i wanna help you!” says Tony as he kicks his feet dangling off the sleek black chair.  
“Well alright but your parents wont be too happy about it if we’re caught”.  
Clapping his small hands as a show of his excitement, Tony promises to be careful and stands on the chair ready to listen to his task.  
“I have with me a pot of beans, you’re gonna help me separate the good beans from the bad beans” Jarvis then proceeds to pull out a full perfectly round black bean and compares it to a wrinkled, brown and small looking bean.  
Tony aggressively nods his head, curly brown hair bouncing in the process, and digs his pudgy hands into the pot of dry beans to begin his search.  
they spend the next couple hours in the kitchen, Tony given small tasks to complete as he rambles on about stories and movies of robots and astronauts and pirates. Jarvis nods and inquires when he feels it is appropriate to but otherwise lets the child jump in between trains of thoughts, quickly becoming lost in his tangents.  
Before long they finish all that must be done and Tony begins bouncing as he follows Jarvis to the fridge, the latter already knowing what the young kid wants.  
“Jarvis! Can I please have some milk and can we make it warm and can we add coffee please because I did such a good job helping you!” exclaims Tony and tries for the biggest smile he can muster.  
Chuckling, Jarvis allows the milk to warm up as he pulls a jar of instant coffee. He then drains the milk into a small cup and adds a splash of coffee to hand to the small child already seated at the table. Grabbing his own cup of coffee, he heads over and sits next to Tony, who’s already starting to drain the cup  
of its content.  
They sit there for a while, Tony resuming his earlier rants as Jarvis slowly sips his coffee, the fond smile never leaving his face. 

a left mess thats best to forget 

Screams echo into the silent mansion. Six year old Tony stops playing with his cars to better listen to the conversation, or rather screaming match. It appears to come from his father’s study, reasons Tony. His breath hitches as he stands and quietly makes his way down the vacant hallway. Upon its end, his father’s study. Every nerve screams at him to turn away to ignore it and keep playing with his cars but curiosity plauges him as he continues to tip toe his way towards the shrills echoing from the room. He makes to to the wide double doors and presses his cheek against the cool wood to get a better listen. It’s definitely his mother in a screaming match with Howard. Tony can barley make out the reason over all the loud remarks. Tony then shifts to press his eye against the gap in between the doors. His mom paces from one end of the room to the other, tears streak her face. Howard leans on his desk, blank face as Maria continues to lash insults towards him. Theres a bottle of scotch next to him, its contents drained. Tony stomach suddenly drops and the hairs on the back of his neck stand as his gaze lands on Howards face just to realize the man is staring right back. Tony stumbles away from the door. His breath picking up pace as he hears footsteps approach. His back is met with the wall, no not a wall, a pair of legs. Tony looks up and sees the kind smile of Jarvis standing protectively overhead. The sound of the doors thunder down the hall as they are slammed open.  
Howards gaze instantly locks on Tony, the small boy now paralyzed behind Jarvis.  
“So sorry to interrupt sir, I was wondering if I could take the boy out with me on a grocery run”, says Jarvis in a calm manner that would fool anyone.  
Howard ignores Jarvis’ words “Eavesdropping are we, boy” spits Howard, taking a step towards the pair.  
Jarvis takes a step forward to intersect the drunken man, “We were just leaving, sir”.  
Without waiting for a reply Jarvis takes the shaking hand of the boy and hurries through the hallway and out into the living room to grab the necessary materials to head out. In record time, the pair make it out of the lonely mansion and begin a quiet walk towards the park. Its silent until they make it to Tony’s favoritisms ice cream parlor, the owner familiar with both Tony and Jarvis. The latter orders two ice creams of Tonys favorite flavor and hands one to the boy before taking his hand again and making his way to the park.  
Once there, the pair sits to enjoy the cool dessert in complete silence. It isnt until both ice creams are long gone and Jarvis offers to push Tony on the swings that the young boy begins to return to his usually hectic and bubbly self.  
Tony clumsily climbs onto the rusted swing and giddily kicks his feet in anticipation. He feels Jarvis slowly draw the swing backward and lets go as Tony lets out a giggle. The boy quickly picks up speed as Jarvis continues to push the boy.  
“Higher! Go higher!” shrieks the small brunet.  
It isn’t until he feels his stomach drop from the descent that Tony actually lets the stress from earlier dissipate. In that moment, its only him and Jarvis and the swing. As he pretends to touch the clouds and giggles at the airless feeling, Tony forgets any problems from home and just enjoys the liberating feeling of flying away from his issues. 

Projected wreck is yet to accept

“That boy needs to stop being a baby and learn how to be useful for once”  
And thats how it started, upon Howards request. Not that Tony minded really, at least, not anymore. Sure the car ride is still a nightmare, you couldnt pay someone to make it more awkward. But upon arriving at Stark Industries and being dropped off with the receptionist to “learn about what real work looks like”, it wasnt half as bad. That might, of course, be in part to Howard disappearing behind his office door all day but who’s really keeping count. After being left to his own devices, Tony is quick to snatch the candy from the receptionist bowl and crawl through the gap underneath the glass door. Hes done this so many times, the action is now near flawless. He’s quick to head out of the office section and head towards the lower levels where one may find the workers. Nearing said area, the stairs become a bit more dangerous for the seven year old. The reminded to hold onto the wall as he descends the concrete stairs rattles around in his brain.  
Alas he enters the factory area of the building and Tony is quick to make his way over to some of the sewing ladies, as he likes to call them, that work with sewing and other machines to fabricate merchandise and other cloth products of Stark Industries.  
“Hey doll, how was school?”  
“It was fine, Thanks for asking”  
“Hey Tony glad to see you back today”  
Tony shoots them a smile.  
“Hey baby did you already have lunch?”  
Tony hold out his fistful of candy.  
“Thats hardly lunch” remarks another one of the ladies.  
Before long, Tony is swarmed by the various workers that have taken a liking to him, god knows how considering how much of a menace he was. But Tony basks in the attention regardless and spends his time running around talking to everyone trying to help and gladly welcoming their stories warnings.  
“Dont stick your hand in the sewing machine”  
“Dont run too close to the fire”  
“Be careful on the stairs” they say like a broken record, their care evident in their tone of voice. Its been about four hours, presumed Tony, when one of the workers comes into the room.  
“I heard Mr. Stark finished his meeting early, you might wanna head up there kido.”  
“Okay!” says the young boy and runs out of the room but not before turning, “bye bye!”  
Tony then begins to make his way upstairs when he suddenly hears the unmistakable boom of Howards voice making his way down.  
Tony panics. If Howard finds him down here again hes gonna get it, hes gonna be in so much trouble. Without further thought, Tony runs out and quickly hides inside one of the boiler rooms. He strains his ear as he hears Howard walk past and continue to make his way down the stairs. Sighing in relief Tony turns towards the room and in that instant, a piece of coal from a nearby boiler jumps and scorches Tony on his nose.  
He gasps as the pain takes him by surprise. Tears prick his eyes and his nose burns in agony, his skin already starting to break at the heat.  
Tony bites his lip, hard. He cant cry. Tony doesn’t cry. He’s a big boy, but most importantly he’s hes a Stark, and Stark men are made of iron. If Howard finds him with a tear stricken face, he’ll be mad, furious even and Tony doesn’t want to give the man any more reasons to be disappointed. So Tony doesn’t cry. He bites his lip to distract himself from the pain but soon thats not enough. He crawls behind one of the Helium tanks occupying the room and holds his head in pain, too afraid to touch his nose that smells like burnt flesh. He sits there for what feels like an eternity to his ADHD brain, curled into a ball. Tears threaten to fall but none do. He sits there holding his head and tries his hardest not to cry. After a while Tony stands. He didn’t cry, he didn’t cry and thats all that matters. He proved he was a Stark. He didn’t cry. Taking one last deep breath, Tony exits the room and begins to once again make his way up the stairs. He finds Howard who immediately looks at him with annoyance. Its clear he can see the burn on Tonys nose, but he doesn’t say anything. He wordlessly leads the child into the car to be driven home. Tony has never wanted to cry more. 

Object of the reflected effect 

He’s eight years old when he’s sent to boarding school.  
“Howard, he’s still a child,” sighs Maria.  
“He’s a genius, and I’ll be damned if thats wasted.”  
So Tony attends one of the most prestigious boarding schools of all times. Kinda reminds him of Hogwarts if he’s honest. Yay for him. Its not all that bad. Sure, he misses Jarvis terribly, and he has no friends, and he gets shoved around a lot and called chubby due to the baby fat that stubbornly clung around his stomach and cheeks. But what did you expect from entering high school at the ripe old age of eight.  
Its after a particularly arduous round of teasing that Tony finds himself running to the second story bathroom. But upon his arrival, he realizes, shes not there. Puzzled, he turns and climb the closest staircase, but soon sees the third story bathroom empty as well. It turns into a game of check every bathroom on campus, and soon Tony has ran through all fifth floors with no luck. He decides to try the bathrooms near the outside cafeteria and sighs in relief when he sees her. His jog turns into a sprint as he slings his arms around her.  
“Tony! I was wondering when you were gonna find me” she says.  
“why are you down here today?” asks the boy, still out of breath from his running.  
“Ah they decided to shift us around today.”  
To quickly explain, every bathroom had a maid. They were in charge of serving water and maintaining that particular bathroom clean. Like he said, prestigious.  
“will you be back upstairs tomorrow?” he inquires.  
“Im sure I will, but tell me doll, what happened?”  
Tony sighs “ah you know the usual yeehaw nothing I cant handle”.  
In turn, she looks at the boy with a sad smile.  
“Class got boring anyway, Im fully prepared to spend my English learning time in the bathroom, which will be way more entertaining if we’re honest. That subject alone makes demons want to crawl back into Satan’s underwear, now imagine it being taught by Mrs. Monotone. Its like they’re TRYING to make me fall asleep, or better yet jump out the window in boredom.”  
She chuckles in reply as they both settle down on the bench set up outside the bathroom.  
“Alright sweets, but youd better not get caught”.  
“Me?! getting caught?! never! Its not like I don’t already basically live in the principals office anyway. Honestly Im kind of Impressed with myself. But to be fair, I really didn’t think the microwave would explode and set off the fire alarm.”  
“what did you think would happen when you stuck a fork in there then!”  
“I dunno, maybe break, sparkle a little, save us from having to take a history test if i got lucky and killed the power”. says Tony with a sly grin.  
She shakes her head and hands the boy a role of paper towels for him to help her fold as they pass the time. Tony complaining and telling stories while she was happy to listen. 

Where defective breath has wept

“Jarvis? You there?”  
“For you, Sir, always”  
Tony breaks into a smile. After many nights of slaving away, and many failed attempts, cough cough DUM-E, Tony has perfected the worlds first AI.  
Of course the processes wasnt easy, and it had taken years to advanced from the sorry excuse of help DUM-E was when he was created at MIT to the intricate and complex achievement that was J.A.R.V.I.S.  
Hed had the idea years back, always sneaking around behind Howard to slowly begin the coding process.  
Once completed, however, the naming process had been extensive. Its been around five years since his parents passed, But only six months since Jarvis’ death. Tony still mourned for the closest father figure he’d ever had. After his parents death, Jarvis had step up to look after Tony despite his impulsivity, and irresponsibility with drinking and drugs. He never left his side. He was even cheering for him all throughout his AI creation. Tony only wishes he could’ve seen the end result of so many nights spend together in the workshop.  
So naming the AI had really been a no brainier. But he didn’t just name him after his butler who’d looked out for Tony since childhood, he named it after every person, every worker, and every nanny that ever looked after him and made him feel a little less alone in his lonely world. He named it after aunt Peggy and Ana who’d been mothers to him and loved him not out of obligation. He named it after the people that cared during the shadow of his neglect. 

I rest in echo of my neglect

**Author's Note:**

> I really decided to regurgitate my childhood memories on here and slap Tony's name on it. Rich kid problems em i rite. Honestly have never had more homework and issues Im avoiding but this was oddly therapeutic. I basically wrote this in one go as a way to express my anger at the situation so pardon the second grade spelling. This is also my second language so dont come at me. please leave comments and kudos bc i need validation.


End file.
